Development standards for multifamily dwellings
The planning board shall review and permit the construction or redevelopment of one or more multifamily dwelling structures and accessory uses in an R-80, R-40, R-20, R-10, or R-10A zone under the provisions of the Narragansett subdivision and land development regulations, provided the proposed development complies with the following development standards, in addition to all other applicable requirements of this ordinance.
The purpose of this section is to add to the diversity of housing opportunities in the Town of Narragansett by providing multifamily dwellings of long term value, desirability, and utility, considering the particular conditions of the site and surrounding area, and the short[term] and long-term effects of such development on municipal facilities and services, natural resources, scenic values, and the sustained quality of surrounding neighborhoods.
The design and establishment of multifamily dwellings shall conform to the most advanced design and planning practices available, and shall, from the outset, protect the public interest in the preservation of the town's exceptional natural features, including ocean and estuarine shorelines, landforms, and natural habitats, and contribute to and enhance the town's architectural and historical resources and amenities.
(1) Site. The development shall be located on a zoning lot or tract having a gross area of at least two acres in an R-10 or R-10A zone, three acres in an R-20 zone, and five acres in an R-40 zone and ten acres in an R-80 zone. The lot or tract on which the development is located shall be owned by one person or corporation or group of persons or corporations.
(2) Accessory uses. Subject to the approval of the planning board, a development may include indoor and outdoor parking facilities, club, golf course, tennis courts, marina, playground, park, bathing beach, swimming pool, and associated accessory uses for the use of the residents, but shall not include any other residential uses, office uses, restaurant and entertainment uses, commercial uses, wholesale business and storage uses, industrial uses, home occupations, professional office of resident, or exterior storage of commercial or recreation vehicles or equipment.
(3) Maximum lot coverage. The total coverage by all principal and accessory buildings and structures shall not exceed 17 percent of the total lot area.
(4) Front, side, and rear yards. The minimum dimension of front, side, and rear yards shall be at least 47 feet, unless the lot abuts a residential zone with greater minimum yard dimensions. In that case, the dimension of the yard which abuts the residential zone must be equal to the dimension required in the residential zone.
(5) Height. In a development, no principal building shall be more than 30 feet high, and no accessory building or other structures shall be more than 16 feet high.
(6) Landscaping and buffer areas. The development must comply with all requirements for landscaping and buffer areas prescribed in section 7.8 of this ordinance.
(7) Public shoreline access. Developers of new developments along the coast may be required to dedicate to the town a public shoreline accessway to Narragansett Bay and/or the Atlantic Ocean.
(8) Minimum lot width. Each zoning lot shall have a minimum width of 200 feet measured along the lot frontage on a town street which has been accepted for maintenance or on a state highway.
(9) Density requirements. Multifamily developments shall provide the following minimum lot area per dwelling unit:
a. 80,000 square feet in an R-80 zone;
b. 40,000 square feet in an R-40 zone;
c. 20,000 square feet in an R-20 zone;
d. 10,000 square feet in an R-10 or R-10A zone.
There shall be no more than six dwelling units per building.
The required minimum lot area must be suitable land for development, and must include at least 500 square feet of unable open space and at least 540 square feet of paved parking area per dwelling unit. In R-20, R-10, and R-10A zones, no more than ten percent of the total number of dwelling units in any development may contain three or more bedrooms.
(10) Distance between buildings. The minimum distance between two buildings or any two rows of substantially parallel buildings located on the same lot shall be 59 feet. The minimum distance between two abutting ends of buildings in the same general plane or row shall be 29 feet, provided the abutting walls contain no windows in habitable rooms, in which case the minimum distance shall be 59 feet.
(11) Off-street parking facilities. Off-street parking shall be provided and maintained as follows:
a. There shall be at least two car spaces per dwelling unit;
b. No parking shall be permitted within 12 feet of any boundary line or within the required minimum front yard;
c. Off-street parking spaces and servicing drives shall be located within the boundaries of the lot being developed, and shall comply with the provisions of section 7 of this ordinance.
(12) Trash disposal. Each building shall be provided with an enclosed trash container sufficient to accommodate all trash and waste stored on the premises. The container and utility area shall comply with the provisions of section 7.3(5) of this ordinance.
(13) Utilities. In order to be considered for approval, lots located in soils limitation districts A and B must be served by public water, sewer, and other utilities (see section 4.5, high water table limitations overlay district). In other areas the board may consider individual sewage disposal systems (ISDS) as an option, provided: (1) All state agencies with authority over ISDS have approved such a disposal design for said lot, (2) Public water is available, and (3) Public sewer service is not available within 1,500 feet of the boundaries of the project. Provided sewer capacity is available, under applicable town and state regulations the board may require all multifamily developments regardless of location to be tied into public sewers.
(14) Traffic. The development shall not cause traffic service on nearby streets and highways to fall below a C level, as defined by the Transportation Research Board.
(15) Conversions. (Reserved.)
(Ch. 811(2), § 1(7.2), 4-1-2002; Ch. 1118, § 18, 12-18-2023)